The field of the present invention pertains to display devices with V-chips. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of implementing multiple V-chip settings for a single display device.
Current media programming offers a wide range of content for home viewing. The content can range from subject matter appropriate for children to subject matter intended only for mature adults. To compensate for this wide range of media content available to a local viewer, a so called violence-chip (V-chip) has been incorporated into conventional display devices. The V-chip allows a user to preselect what content will be viewable by the display device. Television (TV) content types include xe2x80x9cyouthxe2x80x9d (TV-Y), xe2x80x9cyoung adultxe2x80x9d (TV-PG), and television for mature audience (TV-MA). Movie content types include general audience (G), parental guidance (PG), and restricted (R). Thus, the V-chip acts as a filter programmed with user-provided criteria for blocking or passing media content to the display device.
Furthermore, different countries utilize different ratings systems. Currently, the United States and Canada are the only countries who have established rating systems. In the United States there are two rating systems, depending upon the type of program: for movies, the MPAA rating system is enforced and for TV programs, the Parental Guideline Rating system is used. Therefore, the V-Chip can block programs based on their rating, their content, or a combination of both. Since broadcasters in the United States are given the option of not transmitting ratings, some TV manufacturers offer viewers an additional rating system to block programs that are not rated. These variations in media rating systems makes it difficult and frustrating for a viewer to consistently and accurately block desired media content. Therefore, a method to simplify the rating systems and assist in more accurate blocking is needed.
In a typical home, more than one viewer class typically exists. For example, one viewer class might include grade-school level children whose viewing category may be most appropriately set at a TV-Y and movie G rating. Another viewer class in the same home might be subjectively restricted to watching media with a television parental guidance (TV-PG) and PG movie rating. Yet another viewer class in the same home might be the adults who want no restriction on the media they watch, e.g. TV-MA and movie R rating. Consequently, if a common television is used by multiple viewer categories, e.g. a child, teenager, and adult, then a problem arises because only one V-chip setting is saved in a conventional setting.
Referring now to prior art FIG. 1, a flowchart of the conventional process 1000 used for manually programming different V-chip settings in a single television (storing only one setting at a time) for different viewer categories is shown. Step 1002 of the conventional process is to program the single available V-chip setting for a given viewing category, e.g. TV-PG rating. In step 1004, media is screened according to the programmed V-chip setting. Following step 1004, an inquiry, per step 1006, determines whether a new category of user wants to watch television. If no new category of user wants to watch television, then conventional process 1000 ends. However, if a new category of user does want to watch television, then the conventional process 1000 proceeds to step 1010. In step 1010, the single available V-chip setting is reprogrammed for the new category of viewer watching television. As a result of this process, the original V-chip setting from step 1002 is erased and written over with the new V-chip setting from step 1010.
The process of reprogramming the V-chip setting for multiple viewer categories becomes even more complicated, time-consuming, and error-prone than programming a V-chip setting for a single viewer category. This is because the same V-chip settings may have to be alternatingly and repeatedly reset for the television, each time the viewer category cycles. For example, if a child watches the television in the morning, the V-chip setting must be programmed for a child""s level of content. Subsequently, if a mature adult wants to view programs with more mature content in the evening, then the V-chip setting must be reprogrammed for the adult""s level of content. If this process repeats itself, e.g. every day, then the V-chip settings must be reprogrammed twice per day. As mentioned, this can be frustrating and time-consuming. Consequently, a need arises for eliminating the need to constantly reprogram the V-chip setting each time the viewer category changes.
Additionally, there is no guarantee that a given V-chip setting will be properly set or controlled. For example, given the difficulty of reprogramming the V-chip setting, it is foreseeable that an inappropriate V-chip settings will be left on the television for a subsequent viewer. Or it is foreseeable that a V-chip setting may be incorrectly set, given the frequency of changing the settings. For example, if the V-chip setting is not reset in the morning for the young viewer, then the young viewer may have access to media beyond their intended level. Additionally, there is no guarantee that the V-chip setting cannot be reset by some other member in the household. Consequently, a need arises for a method and apparatus that provides some control and security on the V-chip setting available for a given viewer.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for implementing multiple V-chip settings on a display device, e.g. a television or some other media rendering device. By doing so, the present invention eliminates the need to constantly reprogram the V-chip setting each time the viewer category changes. Furthermore, the present invention also provides a method and apparatus with control and security features for the V-chip setting available to a given viewer.
Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention provides a method for implementing multiple V-chip settings for a display device, e.g. a television or some other media rendering device. The method comprises several steps, including a first step of receiving a first V-chip setting. The first V-chip setting is then stored into a first portion of memory. Next, a second V-chip setting is received. This second V-chip setting is stored into a second portion of memory. This process may be repeated for the desired number of V-chip settings. Then, one of the multiple V-chip settings is enabled by using a remote control or by inserting a memory card that contains the desired V-chip setting. Finally, media is provided to a display device according to the enabled V-chip setting. Thus, the present invention allows multiple V-chip settings to be programmed at one time in memory, and thereafter enabled individually by user interface selection, e.g. a remote control device. Hence, a viewer""s time and resources are conserved.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a display system that implements the method of multiple V-chip settings for a display device. The display system includes a display device, a signal source that is coupled to the display device, a V-chip that is coupled to the signal source, a processor that is coupled to the V-chip, and a computer readable memory coupled to the processor. The computer readable memory has a plurality of portions for storing a plurality of V-chip settings. The computer readable memory also contains program instructions stored therein that, when executed, implement the method for providing one of the plurality of V-chip settings on the display device, as described hereinabove. The memory in which the multiple V-chip settings are stored can be an internal component to the media device, or it can be a removable memory card, e.g. SONY Memory Stick(trademark).